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U-shaped valley

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31: 365: 43: 392: 218: 61: 77: 107:. They are characteristic of mountain glaciation in particular. They have a characteristic U shape in cross-section, with steep, straight sides and a flat or rounded bottom (by contrast, valleys carved by rivers tend to be V-shaped in cross-section). Glaciated valleys are formed when a glacier travels across and down a slope, carving the valley by the action of scouring. When the ice recedes or thaws, the valley remains, often littered with small boulders that were transported within the ice, called 238:
to be carved into a U-shaped valley. These valleys can be several thousand feet deep and tens of miles long. Glaciers will spread out evenly in open areas, but tend to carve deep into the ground when confined to a valley. Ice thickness is a major contributing factor to valley depth and carving rates.
261:, and over-deepenings anywhere from ten to hundreds of meters deep. These then fill in with sediments to create plains or water to create lakes, sometimes referred to as "string-of-pearl" or ribbon lakes. Such water filled U-valley basins are also known as "fjord-lakes" or "valley-lakes" (Norwegian: 256:
The floors of these glacial valleys are where the most evidence can be found regarding glaciation cycles. For the most part, the valley floor is wide and flat, but there are various glacial features that signify periods of ice transgression and regression. The valley can have various steps, known as
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Geologists did not always believe that glaciers were responsible for U-shaped valleys and other glacial erosional features. Ice is quite soft and it was unbelievable to many that it could be responsible for the severe carving of bedrock characteristic of glacial erosion. German geologist Penck and
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After deglaciation, snow and ice melt from the mountain tops can create streams and rivers in U-shaped valleys. These are referred to as misfit streams. The streams that form in hanging valleys create waterfalls that flow into the main valley branch. Glacial valleys may also have natural, often
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shape is caused by glacial erosion removing the contact surfaces with greatest resistance to flow, and the resulting section minimises friction. There are two main variations of this U-shape. The first is called the Rocky Mountain model and it is attributed to alpine glacial valleys, showing an
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Progress was made in the 1970s and 1980s on the possible mechanisms of glacial erosion and U-shaped valleys via models proposed by various scientists. Numerical models have been created to explain the phenomenon of carving U-shaped valleys.
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As a glacier moves downhill through a valley, usually with a stream running through it, the shape of the valley is transformed. As the ice melts and retreats, the valley is left with very steep sides and a wide, flat floor. This
289:(514 m). The longitudinal profile of a U-shaped, glaciated valley is often stepwise where flat basins are interrupted by thresholds. Rivers often dig a V-shaped valley or gorge through the threshold. 201:, from the Norwegian word for these features that are common in Norway. Outside of Norway, a classic U-shaped valley that is also a fjord is the Western Brook Pond Fjord in 516: 30: 331:. They are believed to have been formed where a number of small glaciers merge to produce a much larger glacier. Examples include: Warnscale Bottom in the 42: 411:. These geomorphic features significantly influence sediment distribution and biological communities through their modification of current patterns. 72:, NW Indian Himalaya. The glacier visible at the head of the valley is the last remnant of the formerly much more extensive glacier which carved it. 701:"Geomorphologic and Glacial Evolution of the Cachapoal and southern Maipo catchments in the Andean Principal Cordillera, Central Chile (34°-35º S)" 81: 371: 344: 244:
overall deepening effect on the valley. The second variation is referred to as the Patagonia-Antarctica model, attributed to continental
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Surrounding smaller tributary valleys will often join the main valleys during glaciation periods, leaving behind features known as
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Valley head or trough end at Isterdalen from a different angle showing Trollstigen road and waterfall
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known as the 'trough end' or 'trough head'. This may have almost sheer rock walls and spectacular
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Examples of U-shaped valleys are found in mountainous regions throughout the world including the
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When a U-shaped valley extends into saltwater, becoming an inlet of the sea, it is called a
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Waddington, E. D.; Anderson, S. P.; Anderson, R. S.; MacGregor, K. R. (November 2000).
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American geologist Davis were vocal supporters of this unprecedented glacial erosion.
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Hamblin, P. F., & Carmack, E. C. (1978). River‐induced currents in a Fjord Lake.
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Glacial troughs also exist as submarine valleys on continental shelves, such as the
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A glacial trough or glaciated mountain valley often ends in an abrupt
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valley in Norway ends abruptly giving rise to tall waterfalls.
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and displaying an overall widening effect on its surroundings.
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of the Andes, glacial valley floors may be covered by thick
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10.1130/0091-7613(2000)28<1031:NSOGLP>2.0.CO;2
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Pages displaying short descriptions of redirect targets
451: – Valley in the upper third of a mountain range 770: 554: 436: – Landform created by the action of glaciers 469: – Valley with a tributary to a larger river 826: 642:Delta: naturgeografi for den videregående skolen 521:Illustrated Glossary of Alpine Glacial Landforms 457: – Glacially formed accumulation of debriss 182:runs. Another well-known U-shaped valley is the 689: 385:road climbs the steep cliffs of the trough end. 776: 296:high in the trough walls after the ice melts. 759: 757: 230:Formation of a U-shaped valley happens over 782:Seafloor Geomorphology as Benthic Habitat 767:, London: AldineTransaction, 1970, p.359. 754: 743: 741: 739: 737: 718: 307:In volcanic mountain ranges, such as the 300:dam-like, structures within them, called 216: 75: 59: 41: 29: 663:Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans 493:"glacial valley | geological formation" 14: 827: 734: 592: 590: 548: 546: 544: 542: 487: 485: 483: 812: 38:showing the characteristic U shape. 24: 790:10.1016/B978-0-12-385140-6.00051-7 27:Valleys formed by glacial scouring 25: 861: 749:Blackie's Dictionary of Geography 587: 539: 480: 402: 170:. A classic glacial trough is in 751:, Mumbai: Blackie, 2000, p. 344. 517:"Glacial Trough/U-Shaped Valley" 390: 363: 277:lakes in Norway are examples of 806: 251: 103:, are formed by the process of 668: 655: 634: 509: 13: 1: 815:Key Concepts in Geomorphology 473: 318: 80:U-shaped valley with lake in 212: 7: 427: 88:, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. 10: 866: 678:. Oslo: Universitetsforl. 414: 34:A glaciated valley in the 840:Glacial erosion landforms 720:10.5027/andgeoV46n2-3108 640:Karlsen, Ole G. (1981). 597:"Wiley Online Library". 225: 221:Glacier Valley formation 203:Gros Morne National Park 765:Dictionary of Geography 674:Gjessing, Just (1978). 497:Encyclopedia Britannica 622:Cite journal requires 607:10.1002/esp.3290130805 222: 144:Scandinavian Mountains 89: 73: 57: 39: 813:Bierman; et al. 220: 172:Glacier National Park 79: 63: 45: 33: 784:. pp. 703–715. 527:on 27 September 2020 309:Principal Cordillera 148:Carpathian Mountains 178:, USA in which the 64:U-shaped valley in 697:Charrier, Reynaldo 665:, 83(C2), 885–899. 409:Laurentian Channel 370:The deep U-shaped 223: 168:Scottish Highlands 128:Caucasus Mountains 90: 74: 58: 40: 799:978-0-12-385140-6 763:Monkhouse, F.J., 676:Norges landformer 567:(11): 1031–1034. 561:Geology (Boulder) 434:Glacial landforms 285:(453 meters) and 49:U-shaped valley, 16:(Redirected from 857: 819: 818: 810: 804: 803: 778:Buhl-Mortensen L 774: 768: 761: 752: 745: 732: 731: 729: 727: 722: 693: 687: 672: 666: 659: 653: 638: 632: 631: 625: 620: 618: 610: 594: 585: 584: 558: 550: 537: 536: 534: 532: 513: 507: 506: 504: 503: 489: 439: 394: 380: 367: 353: 287:Hornindalsvatnet 93:U-shaped valleys 21: 865: 864: 860: 859: 858: 856: 855: 854: 825: 824: 823: 822: 811: 807: 800: 775: 771: 762: 755: 746: 735: 725: 723: 694: 690: 673: 669: 660: 656: 639: 635: 623: 621: 612: 611: 596: 595: 588: 551: 540: 530: 528: 515: 514: 510: 501: 499: 491: 490: 481: 476: 437: 430: 417: 405: 398: 395: 386: 374: 368: 347: 337:Yosemite Valley 321: 294:hanging valleys 254: 236:V-shaped valley 228: 215: 136:Rocky Mountains 113:glacial erratic 101:glacial troughs 36:Altai Mountains 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 863: 853: 852: 847: 842: 837: 821: 820: 805: 798: 769: 753: 733: 713:(2): 240–278. 706:Andean Geology 688: 667: 654: 644:. Oslo: TANO. 633: 624:|journal= 586: 538: 508: 478: 477: 475: 472: 471: 470: 464: 458: 452: 446: 443:Hanging valley 440: 429: 426: 416: 413: 404: 403:Marine troughs 401: 400: 399: 396: 389: 387: 369: 362: 320: 317: 253: 250: 227: 224: 214: 211: 180:St. Mary River 97:trough valleys 95:, also called 82:Myklebustdalen 26: 18:Glacial trough 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 862: 851: 848: 846: 843: 841: 838: 836: 835:Geomorphology 833: 832: 830: 816: 809: 801: 795: 791: 787: 783: 779: 773: 766: 760: 758: 750: 744: 742: 740: 738: 721: 716: 712: 708: 707: 702: 698: 692: 685: 681: 677: 671: 664: 658: 651: 647: 643: 637: 629: 616: 608: 604: 600: 593: 591: 582: 578: 574: 570: 566: 562: 557: 549: 547: 545: 543: 526: 522: 518: 512: 498: 494: 488: 486: 484: 479: 468: 465: 462: 459: 456: 453: 450: 447: 444: 441: 435: 432: 431: 425: 421: 412: 410: 393: 388: 384: 378: 373: 366: 361: 360: 359: 357: 351: 346: 342: 338: 334: 333:Lake District 330: 326: 316: 314: 310: 305: 303: 297: 295: 290: 288: 284: 280: 276: 272: 268: 264: 260: 249: 247: 242: 237: 233: 232:geologic time 219: 210: 208: 204: 200: 195: 193: 189: 185: 184:Nant Ffrancon 181: 177: 173: 169: 165: 162:mountains in 161: 157: 153: 149: 145: 141: 137: 133: 129: 125: 121: 116: 114: 110: 106: 102: 98: 94: 87: 83: 78: 71: 67: 62: 56: 52: 48: 44: 37: 32: 19: 814: 808: 781: 772: 764: 748: 724:. 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Retrieved 496: 422: 418: 406: 322: 306: 298: 291: 266: 262: 259:valley steps 255: 252:Valley floor 229: 207:Newfoundland 196: 117: 109:glacial till 100: 96: 92: 91: 467:Side valley 461:Ribbon Lake 449:High valley 383:Trollstigen 375: [ 356:Switzerland 354:valleys in 348: [ 140:New Zealand 845:Glaciology 829:Categories 684:8200017729 650:8251814782 502:2017-05-23 474:References 372:Isterdalen 339:, and the 329:waterfalls 319:Trough end 313:lava flows 246:ice sheets 209:, Canada. 186:valley in 166:, and the 105:glaciation 53:Mountain, 47:Malyovitsa 747:Blackie, 581:0091-7613 556:"Geology" 345:Engstlige 241:parabolic 213:Formation 188:Snowdonia 86:Nordfjord 531:8 August 428:See also 302:moraines 263:fjordsjø 164:Bulgaria 152:Pyrenees 142:and the 132:Himalaya 68:valley, 55:Bulgaria 850:Valleys 726:June 9, 455:Moraine 415:History 176:Montana 796:  682:  648:  579:  341:Rottal 275:Bandak 271:Gjende 267:dalsjø 154:, the 150:, the 70:Ladakh 379:] 352:] 283:Mjøsa 279:fjord 226:Shape 199:fjord 192:Wales 160:Pirin 120:Andes 794:ISBN 728:2019 680:ISBN 646:ISBN 628:help 577:ISSN 533:2019 343:and 325:head 273:and 158:and 156:Rila 124:Alps 51:Rila 786:doi 715:doi 603:doi 569:doi 269:). 265:or 205:in 174:in 111:or 99:or 66:Leh 831:: 792:. 756:^ 736:^ 711:46 709:. 703:. 619:: 617:}} 613:{{ 601:. 599:13 589:^ 575:. 565:28 563:. 559:. 541:^ 519:. 495:. 482:^ 377:no 358:. 350:de 335:, 315:. 194:. 190:, 138:, 134:, 130:, 126:, 122:, 115:. 84:, 817:. 802:. 788:: 730:. 717:: 686:. 652:. 630:) 626:( 609:. 605:: 583:. 571:: 535:. 505:. 20:)

Index

Glacial trough

Altai Mountains

Malyovitsa
Rila
Bulgaria

Leh
Ladakh

Myklebustdalen
Nordfjord
glaciation
glacial till
glacial erratic
Andes
Alps
Caucasus Mountains
Himalaya
Rocky Mountains
New Zealand
Scandinavian Mountains
Carpathian Mountains
Pyrenees
Rila
Pirin
Bulgaria
Scottish Highlands
Glacier National Park

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